Urban rail operates across the Seoul region and in Busan, Daegu, Gwangju, Daejeon, and other Korean cities. Most systems pair a line number or name with a color. Check both the line and direction before boarding.

Check the route number and color first

In the Korean subway guide, many lines are numbered, such as Line 1 and Line 2, and colors representing each line are displayed. It is easy to find the platform you want by following the same numbers and colors on the guide lines, platform signs, and route maps inside the station.

In the metropolitan area, in addition to numbered routes, there are routes with names indicating the operating area or connecting section, such as the Gyeongui-Jungang Line and Suin Bundang Line. Rather than just remembering the colors, it is safer to check the route name and destination direction together.

Differences between metropolitan and regional urban railways

The railway network of Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon connects several operating organizations and routes into one wide living area. Busan, Daegu, Gwangju, and Daejeon have route networks centered around each city, so if you change cities, you will need to check the route numbers and color system again.

In K-jihacheol, you can select Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon separately to look at complex routes in the metropolitan area, and you can also check Busan, Daegu, Gwangju, and Daejeon routes by city.

How to read destinations and transfer stations

Before going down to the platform, check in order the route you want to take, the major stations or final stations that indicate the direction of travel, and the station you will be transferring to. Seoul Line 2, a circular line, has internal and external circulation directions, and for lines with branch lines or express lines, it is recommended to check the train's final destination and stopping station information once more.

  • Check route number and color
  • Check major stations or terminals in the direction of your destination
  • Check whether there is an express train and the next route at the transfer station

The easiest way to learn the route map

Rather than memorizing the entire route network from scratch, try connecting departure, transfer, and arrival stations based on the section you will actually travel to. After checking the location on the route map, enter the station names in order and the color and place name will be remembered.